Cartoon Diary of Mongolia

Having come, for no great compelling reason, down into Mongolia, I have been writing my travel diary as a comic. I will probably produce this as a small run zine when I get back to the UK.

Here are most of the pages so far, all drawn on the move in the gaps when the minibus broke down / we stopped for lunch / there was 20 minutes with nowt to do. So as usual not professional or planned out, and not even in this case about anything in particular, but definitely fun to draw and fun to share with people (if you start drawing a cartoon, it isn't long before a shadow appears at your shoulder).

I'm in Mongolia for another few days so I'll probably pad it out with a bit more before posting the sketchpad back home (seen in the first picture being read by Travis, again).

Trail Zine

I am currently in Siberia.

Staying in a group of 16 Russians and others on the shores of Lake Baikal, I persuaded everyone to make a collaborative zine - we all contributed a page. Today I printed it today in Ulan Ude, which I'm rather proud of considering how bloody long just the WORD for photocopying is in Russian, let alone the waits at counters. But actually it worked out fine, and I got a lot of love sent back to me through the pages of the zine.

These pictures are of Travis reading my 'beach zine' [to come] which I gave out as an example, and of some of the zines with our blind dog. For some of my pages for the zine, see the anarchist pilgrimage blog.

Off to Siberia

This blog will go quiet now as I start my anarchist pilgrimage to Siberia.
I have already drawn the first couple of things for the zine that will ensue.

Zombies in Fenham

See Project Z for details...

Some good zine karma

I got back from school yesterday to find some great little bits of zine karma. The kind of thing that comes uninvited, on a day you don't expect, and makes you feel great inside. So I will continue handing out my beach zines to people on the street, and leaving little piles of them in my favourite newcastle pubs.

First, I had an anonymous envelope through the door, with a lovely A6 zine about a mexican wrestler, presumably linked to the vamos festival (mexican wrestling at the star and shadow next week!)

Second, I had an email from a chap I'd handed a zine to in the street. I have a tradition now, for when a zinejob has just been printed and is delivered to the door, of leaving at least a symbolic one or two on a bus seat, at a bus shelter, in a phone box, and of handing at least one out to a stranger in the street.

We were sat in Tilley's and I was looking for a likely someone to give one to. A leggy blonde with 2 rucksacks kept walking past but I didn't dare choose her cos she would think it was a come-on. But then Haz and a strangerboy walked past and "there you go" / "thanks".
So he emailed back and informed me of this lovely little initiative, that work currently stops me attending, and which I should therefore bunk off to join along with. Do pop along if you're free.

So my own zine karma is in pretty good nick still, with zines recently posted, uninvited, to North Yorkshire & America.
My own 'DIY culture' is a bit shoddy though, as I seem to be worse and worse at organising anything with other people. So next weekend's crafty session at the star and shadow needs a proper think / I need to get my arse in gear getting my submission in for the 'History and that' anthology / I need to go to Middlesbrough and support AJ's fantastic events.

The Anarchist Pilgrimage is become definite.

I got paid today and have spent almost 500 pounds on visas and tickets - my first big one is booked on the route below for 4th august. So if you're interested in this project, see my other blog - it's where my energies will be gradually transferred until, from 25th July, I will be on the rails, crossing europe and doodling as I go.

2 days travel on one train, all the way through two countries including one of Europe's last dictatorships, in a cabin with 2 strangers.

More Spence!

My head is still filled with Spence, so here's another doodly cartoon I did to one of Keith Armstrong's poems.